Indonesia's president denies rumors of paying $1 billion, approximately 32.965 billion baht, to join the "Board of Peace" established by President Donald Trump. He reaffirmed Indonesia's position to send only peacekeeping forces to the Gaza Strip and warned of immediate withdrawal if benefits do not reach the Palestinian people.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto issued a statement through the presidential office’s YouTube channel on Sunday (22 Mar) to quell strong domestic criticism. He confirmed that Indonesia will not pay a $1 billion fee, about 32.965 billion baht, to become a permanent member of the "Board of Peace," a project of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Prabowo stated that Indonesia's agreement only involves sending 8,000 peacekeepers to the Gaza Strip, and he clearly denied any promise of financial assistance whatsoever.
The "Board of Peace" was established under the Trump administration with cooperation from Qatar and Egypt, following a ceasefire agreement in the two-year Gaza conflict in October last year. However, the project has been widely criticized as a "Pay-to-Play" version of the United Nations Security Council because it charges countries up to $1 billion to become permanent members.
Prabowo faces opposition from Muslim groups in Indonesia who view joining the board as potentially derailing Indonesia's foreign policy. Although he attended the inaugural meeting in Washington last month, he recently declared he is "ready to withdraw immediately" if the board fails to deliver real benefits to Palestinians or conflicts with Indonesia’s national interests.
Furthermore, despite Indonesia having recently signed a tax agreement with the United States last month, Prabowo emphasized that he can cancel any agreement if its implementation threatens the country's interests.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s government news agency Antara reported, citing the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, that negotiations with the U.S. regarding all peacekeeping missions in Gaza have been "suspended for now" pending further clarity.
Source: AFP